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Photograph by Tsutomu Fujita
Chris Crotty (left) Jeff Kramer (center) and Dan Burt perform at Comedy Sportz. Comedy Sportz is an improvisational club in which 'teams' square off against each other it features the talents of local comedians.
Local group makes a sport out of comedy
Improv club originated in Sunnyvale, features locals
By Amy Jenkins
At a local club, two teams square off nightly, working hard, each rallying for the audience's approval, or laughs. Whichever comes first.
The improvisational comedy club, called Comedy Sportz, is similar to the television show, Whose Line is it Anyway. There are two teams composed of three comedians each who compete against each other in improvisational games for audience votes and laughs. Throughout the show the teams play a number of games in which they must act out words or ideas that are suggested by the audience.
Comedy Sportz is part of the National Comedy Theatre that has comedy clubs across the United States, in 20 cities, including Los Angeles; Austin, Texas; Green Bay, Wis.; Portland, Ore.; and Buffalo, N.Y. The Northern California club opened in Sunnyvale in 1987, moved to Santa Clara in 1992, and still features professional improvisers that are Sunnyvale residents. The group has held thousands of shows in its club, as well as hundreds of shows for corporations, schools, churches and synagogues.
"What sets us apart from other comedy shows is that Comedy Sportz shows are clean and suitable for all ages," said owner Jeff Kramer. "We have a new midnight show that is for adults only on Fridays."
Many of the improvisational games require one or more comedians to exit the building while the audience suggests a situation for the other comedians to act out. In one game a comedian leaves while the audience says titles of movies and books, then when they return another comedian must do charades until the comedian guesses the correct movie or book.
Many props and costumes are used to create characters and get laughs. For a game called "The Advice Panel," the audience suggests an occupation that the comedian must act out by dressing up and answering questions from the audience as if they were in that occupation. Some occupations suggested by the audience were a chemist and a llama sheerer.
"The whole atmosphere of the show is to get the audience involved," Kramer said. "When you go to the show, it's not like a play or movie where you just sit and watch. Audience members get on their feet, and some go on stage."
The comedy show feels like a sporting event with the singing of the National Anthem, singing "Take Me Out to Comedy Sportz"--sang to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"--and a seventh-inning stretch in which the audience participates in "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes."
The audience votes for their favorite team, has the chance to choose from hundreds of games that are available, calls "fouls" if a comedian is not funny, and can participate by going on stage to assist the comedian in a game and help get laughs.
The master of ceremonies is dressed up like a referee and is responsible for running the games, encouraging audience participation, tallying points and making jokes. The referee also makes sure the audience doesn't suggest certain words that are too often acted out--these prohibited words are displayed on the back of jerseys that are hung on the wall.
In a game called "Forward, Reverse," the comedians must act out a scene, but whenever the referee blows his whistle, they must perform the scene either backward or forward. Kramer said this game is an audience favorite.
Comedy Sportz also has programs that teach improvisational comedy to all ages. Adults are taught basic skills of improvisation through courses in improvisational theory, team trust-building, and improvisational exercises and games.
The next level of instruction includes lessons in characters, pantomime and advanced improvisational theory. Once these skills are honed, students learn how to play improvisational games and perform for a live audience of friends and family.
The professional improvisers also teach children of all ages. They teach a high school league where students can go after school to have fun, learn comedy skills and compete with other high school teams throughout the season. Fremont High School is one high school in Sunnyvale that participates.
"Everyone can learn how to improvise. We teach people how to think quick on their feet," Kramer said. "The high school league is a great way for students to make friends and boost their confidence level."
Comedy Sportz even offers seminars for corporations to help improve communication in the workplace. Workplace Interactive Team Building Seminars aim to improve personal and team growth by using a hands-on approach to motivate teams to improve productivity and teamwork.
"We teach people how to communicate so well they can almost read people's minds," Kramer said. "We want to help them think fast and come up with creative ideas, or 'think outside the box.' This is what improvisers do as a living."
For more information about Comedy Sportz, to take classes, or to buy tickets to the show, call 408.985.5233.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
